United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, 25 June 2025- The Ministry of Sports held its first of the “Customer Councils” of 2025, under the Zero Bureaucracy Program. This reflects the Ministry’s commitment to improving government services and boosting operational efficiency across the sports sector.

The session was attended by H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, and H.E. Ghanim Mubarak El-Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports, alongside more than 40 representatives of national sports federations. The Council reflected the Ministry of Sport’s dedication to strengthening partnerships with relevant entities within the national sports ecosystem and supporting government directives to prioritise customers while designing and developing services. This aligns with the objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which aims to position the UAE as one of the world’s most efficient and leading governments.

H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, emphasized that organizing the first Customer Council for 2025 reflects the Ministry’s commitment to involving customers in the development of sports services. He stated: 'At the Ministry of Sports, we operate according to a participatory approach based on innovation, integration, and flexibility. We believe that true development begins with the customer, who is best positioned to identify challenges and propose practical solutions based on their daily experience. In this context, Customer Councils serve as a key tool for direct engagement, identifying areas for improvement, and adopting proposals that simplify procedures and reduce administrative burdens on customers, in alignment with the 'Zero Bureaucracy' program, thereby contributing to the UAE Government's journey toward global leadership in delivering services that meet and exceed customer expectations.'

H.E. added: 'In the same vein, we recently launched the 'Sportifai' digital transformation platform, which primarily aims to digitize processes and accelerate their completion to facilitate access to services. The platform also provides data to all sports entities in the country and connects them within a unified ecosystem, utilizing the latest technologies based on artificial intelligence and precise data. Through this integration of direct engagement and digital transformation, we aim to offer a seamless, equitable, and flexible experience for all users, while also enhancing service efficiency to support the future of Emirati sports.'

Sportifai is the national platform launched by the Ministry of Sports to strengthen governance across the entire sports sector and to offer smart services that simplify the customer journey by reducing unnecessary documentation and requirements for obtaining services. It connects athletes and sports entities through a comprehensive digital ecosystem that includes academies, federations, clubs, and schools. The platform also serves as the digital incubator for several other platforms and services, including the 'Talent Committee' platform, which tracks athletes' journeys from early stages to elite professionalism, along with other integrated services that will empower federations both technically and administratively.

The ‘Customer Councils’ is one of several innovative government tools designed to enhance communication with stakeholders. It provides an open and inclusive platform for exchanging ideas, addressing challenges, and identifying development opportunities that support the evolution of the sports service landscape, improve and accelerate procedures, and increase partner and stakeholder satisfaction.

Following the Council, dedicated teams within the Ministry of Sports responsible for service development and bureaucracy reduction began reviewing the proposals and feedback submitted by federation representatives. These are being prioritised for implementation to support operational excellence and raise service quality across the board.

These Councils are part of the Ministry’s wider efforts to enhance user experiences, streamline administrative procedures, reduce documentation, and expand access to efficient, tech-enabled sports services supported by technology and artificial intelligence. These initiatives reflect the UAE’s commitment to international standards of public service delivery.